


Probing

by solar_celeste



Series: Dwindling [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 18:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19481362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solar_celeste/pseuds/solar_celeste
Summary: CPS officials are the absolute worst.





	Probing

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so sorry for the long delay on an update for this series! Pls forgive me

The sinking feeling that had been living in Damian’s chest for the last week increased tenfold when he saw the CPS official standing beside his father.

He knew what the clip pinned to the man’s suit jacket meant. He knew the threat they posed and how there was nothing good about this situation. But he was also confused. Why would they come? What have them reason to go meddling with the  _ Wayne’s  _ of all people? Bruce was known among the public for adopting Gotham’s orphans and providing them with a good home. There seemed no reason Child Services should send someone. 

There was a brief moment, longer than Damian would have liked to admit, where he wonders if Father was the one that had arranged this meeting. Perhaps he had finally reached his wits end with Damian and no longer felt like dealing with him. Maybe he had come to the same sense that mother had, Damian was not as useful as originally thought, and that the boy should be shipped off to become someone else’s concern. The knot between Damian’s ribs doubled at the thought.

“How was school, Damian?” Father asks as he steps from the car, Pennyworth insistent on holding the door open for him. 

“Tolerable.” Damian answered, knowing it would not be wise to recount how dreadful the school day had really been and how terribly he hated the facility while the official was in war shot. 

“Hello Damian.” The man said, voice sickly sweet as if he was talking down to a small child who couldn’t comprehend his ‘advanced’ vocabulary. Damian immediately disliked him, the boy was ten, not an imbecile.

“Hello.” He simply replied. “Is something the matter?” He looked to both Father and Pennyworth for clues on the cause of the visit.

“Nothings wrong son, we-“ Father began, but the man cut him off, much to Fathers annoyance. Still, Bruce was also aware of the superiority the official currently held over him, he knew better than to overstep his bounds in a situation such as this. 

“I would like to talk to Damian.” He said. “In private, preferably.” His eyes twinkled with something, the rectangular pair of glasses he was wearing slipped down his nose slightly. His skin was shiny with oil, his hair flattened down by at least a pound of gel. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Damian asked. At this point his heart was thudding rapidly from his chest. 

“No.” The man assured, Damian still did not know his name. “I just need to ask you a few questions.” 

Damian shot his father a wary glance, Father merely nodded for Damian to follow the official into the facility. 

“So, Damian.” The man began, still not having bothered to introduce himself. “I have a few questions, I want you to do your best to answer them.” Damian fought to conceal a scowl, he was still being talked to as if he was a mere infant. Did this man know  _ nothing  _ of how to do his job? 

“Why?” Damian asked.

“Someone contacted us with some concerns, we’re worried about you, Damian.” 

“Do you think my father is mistreating me?” He asked. The man reeled, taken aback by Damian’s straightforward question. 

“Well, that’s what I’m here to find out.” He answered carefully, giving Damian a look that simply says:  _ ‘Duh _ .’

“There is no need.” Damian starts to defend. His words are rushed and jumbled. He does not want to be here, we wanted to be at the manor, cuddles with Titus and his sketchbook. “I assure you, my father would never-“ 

“Let’s get started, shall we?” The man interrupted. “First question: Is your father neglectful? Doesn’t eat with you or spend much time with you?” 

Damian stilled in his seat. This was going to be much harder than he had originally thought.

“He’s a very busy man.” He started. “He does his best.” Which was  _ probably (?)  _ true. His father was a very busy man, with Batman and WE, Damian wasn’t his only concern. Probably wasn’t even one of the top five if Damian were being honest with himself.

“Has your father ever hit you?” The man spoke again. “Or shown anger towards you?” Damian sat up in defiance.

“Absolutely not!” He exclaimed. He was  _ almost  _ fully confident with his answer.

“And what about your brothers?” The man asked.

Damian thought about that one. There had been his many brawls with Timothy, Jason had paralyzed him after sending a bullet through his spine…

“No.” He winced when it came out as more of a question. Why was he so nervous? Mother had sent him through numerous training sessions to better his interrogation skills. He had been perfected to maintain a straight face, to pass any and every lie detector test out there. But now, here where he was threatening being taken away from his  _ Father _ , all that was lost to him. If mother could see him now, she would-

The man hummed and marked something on his clipboard before moving along to the next question.

“And has your Father ever laid a hand on one of them?” Damian’s brow furrowed.

“I am almost certain Father had nev-“

“And would you say you feel comfortable around him?” The man asked, Damian was starting to become annoyed with his constant interruptions. “Would you go to him if you were in discomfort say… had a nightmare or, felt sick?” 

Damian pales considerably. Him and Father weren’t  _ quite  _ there yet but… that’s what Grayson was there for, he was always only a phone call away. That, he always assured Damian of. When he took too long to answer the man marked his notes again, and continued. 

“I’m aware your were with your mother before? I know she wasn’t nice to you, abusive as we would say. We want to make sure you like living with your father. Based off these results so far… I would really like you to allow me to find you a better home, Damian.” 

The boy blanched.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, 
> 
> Go support Red Hood Fan Series, for more Batbros, on You Tube: Real actors, real ages, real quality.
> 
> Tags are important, let me know if I missed any!
> 
> Make my day on tumblr!
> 
> Comments are my coffee :,)


End file.
